|Publication number||US8087324 B2|
|Application number||US 12/763,968|
|Publication date||Jan 3, 2012|
|Filing date||Apr 20, 2010|
|Priority date||Apr 28, 2004|
|Also published as||CA2564082A1, CA2564082C, EP1740794A1, US7954569, US8007714, US8172914, US8403080, US20050211475, US20050247491, US20080163723, US20080302576, US20100193252, US20120097455, US20120097456, WO2005106183A1|
|Publication number||12763968, 763968, US 8087324 B2, US 8087324B2, US-B2-8087324, US8087324 B2, US8087324B2|
|Inventors||Jimmy W. Eason, Prakash K. Mirchandani, James J. Oakes, James C. Westhoff, Gabriel B. Collins, John H. Stevens, Steven G. Caldwell, Alfred J. Mosco|
|Original Assignee||Tdy Industries, Inc., Baker Hughes Incorporated|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (218), Non-Patent Citations (9), Referenced by (22), Classifications (19), Legal Events (1)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/116,752, filed Apr. 28, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,954,569, issued Jun. 7, 2011, which application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/848,437, filed on May 18, 2004, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/566,063 filed on Apr. 28, 2004, the entire disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by this reference.
This invention relates to improvements to earth-boring bits and methods of producing earth-boring bits. More specifically, the invention relates to earth-boring bit bodies, roller cones, insert roller cones, cones and teeth for roller cone earth-boring bits and methods of forming earth-boring bit bodies, roller cones, insert roller cones, cones and teeth for roller cone earth-boring bits.
Earth-boring bits may have fixed or rotatable cutting elements. Earth-boring bits with fixed cutting elements typically include a bit body machined from steel or fabricated by infiltrating a bed of hard particles, such as cast carbide (WC+W2C), tungsten carbide (WC), and/or sintered cemented carbide with a binder such as, for example, a copper-based alloy. Several cutting inserts are fixed to the bit body in predetermined positions to optimize cutting. The bit body may be secured to a steel shank that typically includes a threaded pin connection by which the bit is secured to a drive shaft of a downhole motor or a drill collar at the distal end of a drill string.
Steel-bodied bits are typically machined from round stock to a desired shape, with topographical and internal features. Hardfacing techniques may be used to apply wear-resistant materials to the face of the bit body and other critical areas of the surface of the bit body.
In the conventional method for manufacturing a bit body from hard particles and a binder, a mold is milled or machined to define the exterior surface features of the bit body. Additional hand milling or clay work may also be required to create or refine topographical features of the bit body.
Once the mold is complete, a preformed bit blank of steel may be disposed within the mold cavity to internally reinforce the bit body and provide a pin attachment matrix upon fabrication. Other sand, graphite, transition or refractory metal-based inserts, such as those defining internal fluid courses, pockets for cutting elements, ridges, lands, nozzle displacements, junk slots, or other internal or topographical features of the bit body, may also be inserted into the cavity of the mold. Any inserts used must be placed at precise locations to ensure proper positioning of cutting elements, nozzles, junk slots, etc., in the final bit.
The desired hard particles may then be placed within the mold and packed to the desired density. The hard particles are then infiltrated with a molten binder, which freezes to form a solid bit body including a discontinuous phase of hard particles within a continuous phase of binder.
The bit body may then be assembled with other earth-boring bit components. For example, a threaded shank may be welded or otherwise secured to the bit body, and cutting elements or inserts (typically cemented tungsten carbide, or diamond or a synthetic polycrystalline diamond compact (“PDC”)) are secured within the cutting insert pockets, such as by brazing, adhesive bonding, or mechanical affixation. Alternatively, the cutting inserts may be bonded to the face of the bit body during furnacing and infiltration if thermally stable PDCs (“TSPs”) are employed.
Rotatable earth-boring bits for oil and gas exploration conventionally comprise cemented carbide cutting inserts attached to cones that form part of a roller-cone assembled bit or comprise milled teeth formed in the cutter by machining. The milled teeth are typically hardfaced with tungsten carbide in an alloy steel matrix. The bit body of the roller cone bit is usually made of alloy steel.
Earth-boring bits typically are secured to the terminal end of a drill string, which is rotated from the surface or by mud motors located just above the bit on the drill string. Drilling fluid or mud is pumped down the hollow drill string and out nozzles formed in the bit body. The drilling fluid or mud cools and lubricates the bit as it rotates and also carries material cut by the bit to the surface.
The bit body and other elements of earth-boring bits are subjected to many forms of wear as they operate in the harsh downhole environment. Among the most common form of wear is abrasive wear caused by contact with abrasive rock formations. In addition, the drilling mud, laden with rock cuttings, causes erosive wear on the bit.
The service life of an earth-boring bit is a function not only of the wear properties of the PDCs or cemented carbide inserts, but also of the wear properties of the bit body (in the case of fixed cutter bits) or cones (in the case of roller cone bits). One way to increase earth-boring bit service life is to employ bit bodies or cones made of materials with improved combinations of strength, toughness, and abrasion/erosion resistance.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved bit bodies for earth-boring bits having increased wear resistance, strength and toughness.
The present invention relates to a composition for forming a bit body for an earth-boring bit. The bit body comprises hard particles, wherein the hard particles comprise at least one of carbides, nitrides, borides, silicides, oxides, and solid solutions thereof, and a binder binding together the hard particles. The hard particles may comprise at least one transition metal carbide selected from carbides of titanium, chromium, vanadium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum, molybdenum, niobium, and tungsten or solid solutions thereof. The hard particles may be present as individual or mixed carbides and/or as sintered cemented carbides. Embodiments of the binder may comprise at least one metal selected from cobalt, nickel, iron and alloys thereof. In a further embodiment, the binder may further comprise at least one melting point reducing constituent selected from a transition metal carbide up to 60 weight percent, one or more transition metals up to 50 weight percent, carbon up to 5 weight percent, boron up to 10 weight percent, silicon up to 20 weight percent, chromium up to 20 weight percent, and manganese up to 25 weight percent, wherein the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the binder. In one embodiment, the binder comprises 40 to 50 weight percent of tungsten carbide and 40 to 60 weight percent of at least one of iron, cobalt, and nickel. For the purpose of this invention, transition elements are defined as those belonging to groups IVB, VB, and VIB of the periodic table.
Another embodiment of the composition for forming a matrix body comprises hard particles and a binder, wherein the binder has a melting point in the range of 1050° C. to 1350° C. The binder may be an alloy comprising at least one of iron, cobalt, and nickel and may further comprise at least one of a transition metal carbide, a transition element, carbon, boron, silicon, chromium, manganese, silver, aluminum, copper, tin, and zinc. More preferably, the binder may be an alloy comprising at least one of iron, cobalt, and nickel and at least one of tungsten carbide, tungsten, carbon, boron, silicon, chromium, and manganese.
A further embodiment of the invention is a composition for forming a matrix body, the composition comprising hard particles of a transition metal carbide and a binder comprising at least one of nickel, iron, and cobalt and having a melting point less than 1350° C. The binder may further comprise at least one of a transition metal carbide, tungsten carbide, tungsten, carbon, boron, silicon, chromium, manganese, silver, aluminum, copper, tin, and zinc.
In the manufacture of bit bodies, hard particles and, optionally, inserts may be placed within a bit body mold. The inserts may be incorporated into the articles of the present invention by any method. For example, the inserts may be added to the mold before filling the mold with the powdered metal or hard particles and any inserts present may be infiltrated with a molten binder, which freezes to form a solid matrix body including a discontinuous phase of hard particles within a continuous phase of binder. Embodiments of the present invention also include methods of forming articles, such as, but not limited to, bit bodies for earth-boring bits, roller cones, and teeth for roller cone drill bits. An embodiment of the method of forming an article may comprise infiltrating a mass of hard particles comprising at least one transition metal carbide with a binder comprising at least one of nickel, iron, and cobalt and having a melting point less than 1350° C. Another embodiment includes a method comprising infiltrating a mass of hard particles comprising at least one transition metal carbide with a binder having a melting point in the range of 1050° C. to 1350° C. The binder may comprise at least one of iron, nickel, and cobalt, wherein the total concentration of iron, nickel, and cobalt is from 40 to 99 weight percent by weight of the binder. The binder may further comprise at least one of a selected transition metal carbide, tungsten carbide, tungsten, carbon, boron, silicon, chromium, manganese, silver, aluminum, copper, tin, and zinc in a concentration effective to reduce the melting point of the iron, nickel, and/or cobalt. The binder may be a eutectic or near-eutectic mixture. The lowered melting point of the binder facilitates proper infiltration of the mass of hard particles.
A further embodiment of the invention is a method of producing an earth-boring bit, comprising casting the earth-boring bit from a molten mixture of at least one of iron, nickel, and cobalt and a carbide of a transition metal. The mixture may be a eutectic or near-eutectic mixture. In these embodiments, the earth-boring bit may be cast directly without infiltrating a mass of hard particles.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, time, temperatures, and so forth used in the present specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, may inherently contain certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviations found in their respective testing measurements.
The reader will appreciate the foregoing details and advantages of the present invention, as well as others, upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention. The reader also may comprehend such additional details and advantages of the present invention upon making and/or using embodiments within the present invention.
The features and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a composition for the formation of bit bodies for earth-boring bits, roller cones, insert roller cones, cones and teeth for roller cone drill bits and methods of making a bit body for such articles. Additionally, the methods may be used to make other articles. Certain embodiments of a bit body of the present invention comprise at least one discontinuous hard phase and a continuous binder phase binding together the hard phase. Embodiments of the compositions and methods of the present invention provide increased service life for the bit body, roller cones, insert roller cones, teeth, and cones produced from the composition and method and thereby improve the service life of the earth-boring bit or other tool. The body material of the bit body, roller cone, insert roller cone, or cone provides the overall properties to each region of the article.
A typical bit body 10 of a fixed cutter earth-boring bit is shown in
The manufacturing process for hard particles in a binder typically involves consolidating metallurgical powder (typically a particulate ceramic and binder metal) to form a green billet. Powder consolidation processes using conventional techniques may be used, such as mechanical or hydraulic pressing in rigid dies, and wet-bag or dry-bag isostatic pressing. The green billet may then be pre-sintered or fully sintered to further consolidate and densify the powder. Pre-sintering results in only a partial consolidation and densification of the part. A green billet may be pre-sintered at a lower temperature than the temperature to be reached in the final sintering operation to produce a pre-sintered billet (“brown billet”). A brown billet has relatively low hardness and strength as compared to the final fully sintered article, but significantly higher than the green billet. During manufacturing, the article may be machined as a green billet, brown billet, or as a fully sintered article. Typically, the machinability of a green or brown billet is substantially easier than the machinability of the fully sintered article. Machining a green billet or a brown billet may be advantageous if the fully sintered part is difficult to machine or would require grinding to meet the required dimensional final tolerances rather than machining. Other means to improve machinability of the part may also be employed, such as addition of machining agents to close the porosity of the billet; a typical machining agent is a polymer. Finally, sintering at liquid phase temperature in conventional vacuum furnaces or at high pressures in a SinterHip furnace may be carried out. The billet may be over-pressure sintered at a over-pressure of 300 psi to 2000 psi and at a temperature of 1350° C. to 1500° C. Pre-sintering and sintering of the billet causes removal of lubricants, oxide reduction, densification, and microstructure development. As stated above, subsequent to sintering, the bit body, roller cone, insert roller cone or cone may be further appropriately machined or ground to form the final configuration.
The present invention also includes a method of producing a bit body, roller cone, insert roller cone or cone with regions of different properties or compositions. An embodiment of the method includes placing a first metallurgical powder into a first region of a void within a mold and a second metallurgical powder in a second region of the void of the mold. In some embodiments, the mold may be segregated into the two or more regions by, for example, placing a physical partition, such as paper or a polymeric material, in the void of the mold to separate the regions. The metallurgical powders may be chosen to provide, after consolidation and sintering, cemented carbide materials having the desired properties as described above. In another embodiment, a portion of at least the first metallurgical powder and the second metallurgical powder are placed in contact, without partitions, within the mold. A wax or other binder may be used with the metallurgical powders to help form the regions without use of physical partitions.
An article with a gradient change in properties or composition may also be formed by, for example, placing a first metallurgical powder in a first region of a mold. A second portion of the mold may then be filled with a metallurgical powder comprising a blend of the first metallurgical powder and a second metallurgical powder. The blend would result in an article having at least one property between the same property in an article formed by the first and second metallurgical powder independently. This process may be repeated until the desired composition gradient or compositional structure is complete in the mold and, typically, would end with filling a region of the mold with the second metallurgical powder. Embodiments of this process may also be performed with or without physical partitions. Additional regions may be filled with different materials, such as a third metallurgical powder or even a previously infiltrated copper alloy article. The mold may then be isostatically compressed to consolidate the metallurgical powders to form a billet. The billet is subsequently sintered to further densify the billet and to form an autogenous bond between the regions.
Any binder may be used, as previously described, such as nickel, cobalt, iron, and alloys of nickel, cobalt, and iron. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the binder used to fabricate the bit body may have a melting point between 1050° C. and 1350° C. As used herein, the melting point or the melting temperature is the solidus of the particular composition. In other embodiments, the binder comprises an alloy of at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel, wherein the alloy has a melting point of less than 1350° C. In other embodiments of the composition of the present invention, the composition comprises at least one of cobalt, nickel, and iron and a melting point reducing constituent. Pure cobalt, nickel, and iron are characterized by high melting points (approximately 1500° C.) and, hence, the infiltration of beds of hard particles by pure molten cobalt, iron, or nickel is difficult to accomplish in a practical manner without formation of excessive porosity or undesirable phases. However, an alloy of at least one of cobalt, iron, or nickel may be used if it includes a sufficient amount of at least one melting point reducing constituent. The melting point reducing constituent may be at least one of a transition metal carbide, a transition element, tungsten, carbon, boron, silicon, chromium, manganese, silver, aluminum, copper, tin, zinc, as well as other elements that alone or in combination can be added in amounts that reduce the melting point of the binder sufficiently so that the binder may be used effectively to form a bit body by the selected method. A binder may effectively be used to form a bit body if the binder's properties, for example, melting point, molten viscosity, and infiltration distance, are such that the bit body may be cast without an excessive amount of porosity. Preferably, the melting point reducing constituent is at least one of a transition metal carbide, a transition metal, tungsten, carbon, boron, silicon, chromium and manganese. It may be preferable to combine two or more of the above melting point reducing constituents to obtain a binder effective for infiltrating a mass of hard particles. For example, tungsten and carbon may be added together to produce a greater melting point reduction than produced by the addition of tungsten alone and, in such a case, the tungsten and carbon may be added in the form of tungsten carbide. Other melting point reducing constituents may be added in a similar manner.
The one or more melting point reducing constituents may be added alone or in combination with other binder constituents in any amount that produces a binder composition effective for producing a bit body. In addition, the one or more melting point reducing constituents may be added such that the binder is a eutectic or near-eutectic composition. Providing a binder with a seutectic or near-eutectic concentration of ingredients ensures that the binder will have a lower melting point, which may facilitate casting and infiltrating the bed of hard particles. In certain embodiments, it is preferable for the one or more melting point reducing constituents to be present in the binder in the following weight percentages based on the total binder weight: tungsten may be present up to 55%, carbon may be present up to 4%, boron may be present up to 10%, silicon may be present up to 20%, chromium may be present up to 20%, and manganese may be present up to 25%. In certain other embodiments, it may be preferable for the one or more melting point reducing constituents to be present in the binder in one or more of the following weight percentages based on the total binder weight: tungsten may be present from 30 to 55%, carbon may be present from 1.5 to 4%, boron may be present from 1 to 10%, silicon may be present from 2 to 20%, chromium may be present from 2 to 20%, and manganese may be present from 10 to 25%. In certain other embodiments of the composition of the present invention, the melting point reducing constituent may be tungsten carbide present from 30 to 60 weight %. Under certain casting conditions and binder concentrations, all or a portion of the tungsten carbide will precipitate from the binder upon freezing and will form a hard phase. This precipitated hard phase may be in addition to any hard phase present as hard particles in the mold. However, if no hard particles are disposed in the mold or in a section of the mold, all of the hard phase particles in the bit body or in the section of the bit body may be formed as tungsten carbide precipitated during casting.
Embodiments of the articles of the present invention may include 50% or greater volumes of hard particles or hard phase; in certain embodiments, it may be preferable for the hard particles or hard phase to comprise between 50 and 80 volume % of the article; more preferably, for such embodiments, the hard phase may comprise between 60 and 80 volume % of the article. As such, in certain embodiments, the binder phase may comprise less than 50 volume % of the article, or preferably between 20 and 50 volume % of the article. In certain embodiments, the binder may comprise between 20 and 40 volume % of the article.
Embodiments of the present invention also comprise bit bodies for earth-boring bits and other articles comprising transition metal carbides wherein the bit body comprises a volume fraction of tungsten carbide greater than 75 volume %. It is now possible to prepare bit bodies having such a volume fraction of, for example, tungsten carbide, due to the method of the present invention, embodiments of which are described below. An embodiment of the method comprises infiltrating a bed of tungsten carbide hard particles with a binder that is a eutectic or near-eutectic composition of at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel and tungsten carbide. It is believed that bit bodies comprising concentrations of discontinuous phase tungsten carbide of up to 95% by volume may be produced by methods of the present invention if a bed of tungsten is infiltrated with a molten eutectic or near-eutectic composition of tungsten carbide and at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel. In contrast, conventional infiltration methods for producing bit bodies may only be used to produce bit bodies having a maximum of about 72% by volume tungsten carbide. The inventors have determined that the volume concentration of tungsten carbide in the cast bit body and other articles can be 75% up to 95% if using, as infiltrated, a eutectic or near-eutectic composition of tungsten carbide and at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel. Presently, there are limitations in the volume percentage of hard phase that may be formed in a bit body due to limitations in the packing density of a mold with hard particles and the difficulties in infiltrating a densely packed mass of hard particles. However, precipitating carbide from an infiltrant binder comprising a eutectic or near-eutectic composition avoids these difficulties. Upon freezing of the binder in the bit body mold, the additional hard phase is formed by precipitation from the molten infiltrant during cooling. Therefore, a greater concentration of hard phase is formed in the bit body than could be achieved if the molten binder lacks dissolved tungsten carbide. Use of molten binder/infiltrant compositions at or near the eutectic allows higher volume percentages of hard phase in bit bodies and other articles than previously available.
The volume percent of tungsten carbide in the bit body may be additionally increased by incorporating cemented carbide inserts into the bit body. The cemented carbide inserts may be used for forming internal fluid courses, pockets for cutting elements, ridges, lands, nozzle displacements, junk slots, or other topographical features of the bit body, or merely to provide structural support, stiffness, toughness, strength, or wear resistance at selected locations within the body or holder. Conventional cemented carbide inserts may comprise from 70 to 99 volume % of tungsten carbide if prepared by conventional cemented carbide techniques. Any known cemented carbides may be used as inserts in the bit body, such as, but not limited to, composites of carbides of at least one of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum and tungsten in a binder of at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel. Additional alloying agents may be present in the cemented carbides as are known in the art.
Embodiments of the composition for forming a bit body also comprise at least one hard particle type. As stated above, the bit body may also comprise various regions comprising different types and/or concentrations of hard particles. For example, bit body 10 of
Cemented carbide grades with tungsten carbide in a cobalt binder have a commercially attractive combination of strength, fracture toughness and wear resistance. “Strength” is the stress at which a material ruptures or fails. “Toughness” is the ability of a material to absorb energy and deform plastically before fracturing. Toughness is proportional to the area under the stress-strain curve from the origin to the breaking point. See M
The strength, toughness and wear resistance of a cemented carbide are related to the average grain size of the dispersed hard phase and the volume (or weight) fraction of the binder phase present in the conventional cemented carbide. Generally, an increase in the average grain size of tungsten carbide and/or an increase in the volume fraction of the cobalt binder will result in an increase in fracture toughness. However, this increase in toughness is generally accompanied by a decrease in wear resistance. The cemented carbide metallurgist is thus challenged to develop cemented carbides with both high wear resistance and high fracture toughness while attempting to design grades for demanding applications.
The bit body 140 of
Embodiments of the bit body, roller cone, insert roller cone, or cone may comprise unique properties that may not be achieved in conventional bit bodies, roller cones, insert roller cones, and cones. Samples of compositions suitable for the present invention were produced for testing. The nominal compositions of the test samples are shown in Table 1 below.
As can be seen from Table 2, embodiments of the present invention comprise body materials having transverse rupture strength greater than 300 ksi. Conventional bit bodies comprising body materials of steel or hard particles infiltrated with brass or bronze do not have transverse rupture strengths as high as the embodiments of the present invention.
Several properties of the body materials of the regions of earth-boring tools contribute to the service life of the tool. These properties of the body materials include, but may not be limited to, strength, stiffness, wear or abrasion resistance, and fatigue resistance. A bit body, roller cone, insert roller cone, or cone may comprise more than one region, each comprising different body materials. Strength is typically measured as a transverse rupture strength or ultimate tensile strength. Stiffness may be measured as a Young's modulus. The properties of embodiments of the present invention and prior art copper-based matrices are listed in Table 2. As can be seen, the embodiments of the present invention have TRS values greater than 250 ksi; in certain embodiments, the TRS may be greater than 300 ksi or even greater than 400 ksi. The Young's modulus of embodiments of the present invention exceed 55×106 psi and, preferably, for certain applications requiring greater stiffness, embodiments may have a Young's modulus of greater than 75×106 psi or even greater than 90×106 psi. In addition to the favorable TRS and Young's modulus values, embodiments of the present invention additionally comprise an increased hardness. Embodiments of the present invention may be tailored to have a hardness of greater than 65 HRA or by reducing the concentration of binder, for example, the hardness of specific embodiments may be increased to greater than 75 HRA or even greater than 85 HRA in certain embodiments.
The abrasion resistance, as measured according to ASTM B611, of embodiments of the body materials of the present invention may be greater than 1.0, or greater than 1.4. In certain applications or regions of the earth-boring tool, embodiments of the body materials of the present invention may have an abrasion resistance of from 2 to 14.
Embodiments of the present invention comprise body materials that also include combinations of properties that are applicable for the bit bodies, roller cones, insert roller cones, and cones. For example, embodiments of the present invention may comprise a body material having a transverse rupture strength greater than 200 ksi, or greater than 250 ksi, together with a Young's modulus greater than 40×106 psi. Other embodiments of the present invention may comprise a body material having a fatigue resistance greater than 30 ksi in combination with a Young's modulus greater than 30×106 psi. Such combinations of properties provide drilling articles that in certain applications will have a greater service life than conventional drilling articles.
Comparison of Material Properties
13.94 to 14.95
10.0 to 13.5
2 to 14
300 to 500
100 to 175
400 to 800
136 to 225
Proportional Limit, ksi
125 to 350
28 to 54
Modulus, ×106 psi
75 to 95
27 to 50
84 to 92 HRA
10 to 50 HRC
Additionally, certain embodiments of the composition of the present invention may comprise from 30 to 95 volume % of hard phase and from 5 to 70 volume % of binder phase. Isolated regions of the bit body may be within a broader range of hard phase concentrations from, for example, 30 to 99 volume % hard phase. This may be accomplished, for example, by disposing hard particles in various packing densities in certain locations within the mold or by placing cemented carbide inserts in the mold prior to casting the bit body or other article. Additionally, the bit body may be formed by casting more than one binder into the mold.
A difficulty with fabricating a bit body or holder comprising a binder including at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel by an infiltration method stems from the relatively high melting points of cobalt, iron, and nickel. The melting point of each of these metals at atmospheric pressure is approximately 1500° C. In addition, since cobalt, iron, and nickel have high solubilities in the liquid state for tungsten carbide, it is difficult to prevent premature freezing of, for example, a molten cobalt-tungsten or nickel-tungsten carbide alloy while attempting to infiltrate a bed of tungsten carbide particles when casting an earth-boring bit body. This phenomenon may lead to the formation of pin-holes in the casting even with the use of high temperatures, such as greater than 1400° C., during the infiltration process.
Embodiments of the method of the present invention may overcome the difficulties associated with cobalt-, iron- and nickel-infiltrated cast composites by use of a pre-alloyed cobalt-tungsten carbide eutectic or near-eutectic composition (30 to 60% tungsten carbide and 40 to 70% cobalt, by weight). For example, a cobalt alloy having a concentration of approximately 43 weight % of tungsten carbide has a melting point of approximately 1300° C. (see
Certain embodiments of the method of the invention comprise infiltrating a mass of hard particles with a binder that is a eutectic or near-eutectic composition comprising at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel and tungsten carbide, and wherein the binder has a melting point less than 1350° C. As used herein, a near-eutectic concentration means that the concentrations of the major constituents of the composition are within 10 weight % of the eutectic concentrations of the constituents. The eutectic concentration of tungsten carbide in cobalt is approximately 43 weight percent. Eutectic compositions are known or easily approximated by one skilled in the art. Casting the eutectic or near-eutectic composition may be performed with or without hard particles in the mold. However, it may be preferable that upon solidification, the composition forms a precipitated hard tungsten carbide phase and a binder phase. The binder may further comprise alloying agents, such as at least one of boron, silicon, chromium, manganese, silver, aluminum, copper, tin, and zinc.
Embodiments of the present invention may comprise as one aspect the fabrication of bodies and cones from eutectic or near-eutectic compositions employing several different methods. Examples of these methods include:
1. Infiltrating a bed or mass of hard particles comprising a mixture of transition metal carbide particles and at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel (i.e., a cemented carbide) with a molten infiltrant that is a eutectic or near-eutectic composition of a carbide and at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel.
2. Infiltrating a bed or mass of transition metal carbide particles with a molten infiltrant that is a eutectic or near-eutectic composition of a carbide and at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel.
3. Casting a molten eutectic or near-eutectic composition of a carbide, such as tungsten carbide, and at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel to net-shape or a near-net-shape in the form of a bit body, roller cone, or cone.
4. Mixing powdered binder and hard particles together, placing the mixture in a mold, heating the powders to a temperature greater than the melting point of the binder, and cooling to cast the materials into the form of an earth-boring bit body, a roller cone, or a cone. This so-called “casting in place” method may allow the use of binders with relatively less capacity for infiltrating a mass of hard particles since the binder is mixed with the hard particles prior to melting and, therefore, shorter infiltration distances are required to form the article.
In certain methods of the present invention, infiltrating the hard particles may include loading a funnel with a binder, melting the binder, and introducing the binder into the mold with the hard particles and, optionally, the inserts. The binder, as discussed above, may be a eutectic or near-eutectic composition or may comprise at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel and at least one melting point reducing constituent.
Another method of the present invention comprises preparing a mold and casting a eutectic or near-eutectic mixture of at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel and a hard phase component. As the eutectic or near-eutectic mixture cools, the hard phase may precipitate from the mixture to form the hard phase. This method may be useful for the formation of roller cones and teeth in tri-cone drill bits.
Another embodiment of the present invention involves casting in place, mentioned above. An example of this embodiment comprises preparing a mold, adding a mixture of hard particles and binder to the mold, and heating the mold above the melting temperature of the binder. This method results in the casting in place of the bit body, roller cone, and teeth for tri-cone drill bits. This method may be preferable when the expected infiltration distance of the binder is not sufficient for sufficiently infiltrating the hard particles conventionally.
The hard particles or hard phase may comprise one or more of carbides, oxides, borides, and nitrides, and the binder phase may be composed of one or more of the Group VIII metals, namely, Co, Ni, and/or Fe. The morphology of the hard phase can be in the form of irregular, equiaxed, or spherical particles, fibers, whiskers, platelets, prisms, or any other useful form. In certain embodiments, the cobalt, iron, and nickel alloys useful in this invention can contain additives, such as boron, chromium, silicon, aluminum, copper, manganese, or ruthenium, in total amounts up to 20 weight % of the ductile continuous phase.
In addition, hardfacing may be added to embodiments of the present invention. Hardfacing may be added on bit bodies, roller cones, insert roller cones, and cones wherever increased wear resistance is desired. For example, roller cone 160, as shown in
It is to be understood that the present description illustrates those aspects of the invention relevant to a clear understanding of the invention. Certain aspects of the invention that would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and that, therefore, would not facilitate a better understanding of the invention, have not been presented in order to simplify the present description. Although embodiments of the present invention have been described, one of ordinary skill in the art will, upon considering the foregoing description, recognize that many modifications and variations of the invention may be employed. All such variations and modifications of the invention are intended to be covered by the foregoing description and the following claims.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US2299207||Feb 18, 1941||Oct 20, 1942||Bevil Corp||Method of making cutting tools|
|US2819958||Aug 16, 1955||Jan 14, 1958||Mallory Sharon Titanium Corp||Titanium base alloys|
|US2819959||Jun 19, 1956||Jan 14, 1958||Mallory Sharon Titanium Corp||Titanium base vanadium-iron-aluminum alloys|
|US2906654||Sep 23, 1954||Sep 29, 1959||Stanley Abkowitz||Heat treated titanium-aluminumvanadium alloy|
|US3368881||Apr 12, 1965||Feb 13, 1968||Nuclear Metals Division Of Tex||Titanium bi-alloy composites and manufacture thereof|
|US3471921||Nov 16, 1966||Oct 14, 1969||Shell Oil Co||Method of connecting a steel blank to a tungsten bit body|
|US3660050||Jun 23, 1969||May 2, 1972||Du Pont||Heterogeneous cobalt-bonded tungsten carbide|
|US3757879||Aug 24, 1972||Sep 11, 1973||Christensen Diamond Prod Co||Drill bits and methods of producing drill bits|
|US3942954||Dec 31, 1970||Mar 9, 1976||Deutsche Edelstahlwerke Aktiengesellschaft||Sintering steel-bonded carbide hard alloy|
|US3987859||May 15, 1975||Oct 26, 1976||Dresser Industries, Inc.||Unitized rotary rock bit|
|US4017480||Aug 20, 1974||Apr 12, 1977||Permanence Corporation||High density composite structure of hard metallic material in a matrix|
|US4047828||Mar 31, 1976||Sep 13, 1977||Makely Joseph E||Core drill|
|US4094709||Feb 10, 1977||Jun 13, 1978||Kelsey-Hayes Company||Method of forming and subsequently heat treating articles of near net shaped from powder metal|
|US4128136||Dec 9, 1977||Dec 5, 1978||Lamage Limited||Drill bit|
|US4198233||Apr 20, 1978||Apr 15, 1980||Thyssen Edelstahlwerke Ag||Method for the manufacture of tools, machines or parts thereof by composite sintering|
|US4221270||Dec 18, 1978||Sep 9, 1980||Smith International, Inc.||Drag bit|
|US4229638||Apr 1, 1975||Oct 21, 1980||Dresser Industries, Inc.||Unitized rotary rock bit|
|US4233720||Nov 30, 1978||Nov 18, 1980||Kelsey-Hayes Company||Method of forming and ultrasonic testing articles of near net shape from powder metal|
|US4255165||Dec 22, 1978||Mar 10, 1981||General Electric Company||Composite compact of interleaved polycrystalline particles and cemented carbide masses|
|US4306139||Dec 26, 1979||Dec 15, 1981||Ishikawajima-Harima Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha||Method for welding hard metal|
|US4341557||Jul 30, 1980||Jul 27, 1982||Kelsey-Hayes Company||Method of hot consolidating powder with a recyclable container material|
|US4389952||Jun 25, 1981||Jun 28, 1983||Fritz Gegauf Aktiengesellschaft Bernina-Machmaschinenfabrik||Needle bar operated trimmer|
|US4398952||Sep 10, 1980||Aug 16, 1983||Reed Rock Bit Company||Methods of manufacturing gradient composite metallic structures|
|US4499048||Feb 23, 1983||Feb 12, 1985||Metal Alloys, Inc.||Method of consolidating a metallic body|
|US4499795||Sep 23, 1983||Feb 19, 1985||Strata Bit Corporation||Method of drill bit manufacture|
|US4526748||Jul 12, 1982||Jul 2, 1985||Kelsey-Hayes Company||Hot consolidation of powder metal-floating shaping inserts|
|US4547337||Jan 19, 1984||Oct 15, 1985||Kelsey-Hayes Company||Pressure-transmitting medium and method for utilizing same to densify material|
|US4552232||Jun 29, 1984||Nov 12, 1985||Spiral Drilling Systems, Inc.||Drill-bit with full offset cutter bodies|
|US4554130||Oct 1, 1984||Nov 19, 1985||Cdp, Ltd.||Consolidation of a part from separate metallic components|
|US4562990||Jun 6, 1983||Jan 7, 1986||Rose Robert H||Die venting apparatus in molding of thermoset plastic compounds|
|US4579713||Apr 25, 1985||Apr 1, 1986||Ultra-Temp Corporation||Method for carbon control of carbide preforms|
|US4596694||Jan 18, 1985||Jun 24, 1986||Kelsey-Hayes Company||Method for hot consolidating materials|
|US4597730||Jan 16, 1985||Jul 1, 1986||Kelsey-Hayes Company||Assembly for hot consolidating materials|
|US4630693||Apr 15, 1985||Dec 23, 1986||Goodfellow Robert D||Rotary cutter assembly|
|US4656002||Oct 3, 1985||Apr 7, 1987||Roc-Tec, Inc.||Self-sealing fluid die|
|US4667756||May 23, 1986||May 26, 1987||Hughes Tool Company-Usa||Matrix bit with extended blades|
|US4686080||Dec 9, 1985||Aug 11, 1987||Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.||Composite compact having a base of a hard-centered alloy in which the base is joined to a substrate through a joint layer and process for producing the same|
|US4694919||Jan 22, 1986||Sep 22, 1987||Nl Petroleum Products Limited||Rotary drill bits with nozzle former and method of manufacturing|
|US4743515||Oct 25, 1985||May 10, 1988||Santrade Limited||Cemented carbide body used preferably for rock drilling and mineral cutting|
|US4744943||Dec 8, 1986||May 17, 1988||The Dow Chemical Company||Process for the densification of material preforms|
|US4780274||Oct 24, 1986||Oct 25, 1988||Reed Tool Company, Ltd.||Manufacture of rotary drill bits|
|US4804049||Nov 30, 1984||Feb 14, 1989||Nl Petroleum Products Limited||Rotary drill bits|
|US4809903||Nov 26, 1986||Mar 7, 1989||United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force||Method to produce metal matrix composite articles from rich metastable-beta titanium alloys|
|US4838366||Aug 30, 1988||Jun 13, 1989||Jones A Raymond||Drill bit|
|US4871377||Feb 3, 1988||Oct 3, 1989||Frushour Robert H||Composite abrasive compact having high thermal stability and transverse rupture strength|
|US4884477||Mar 31, 1988||Dec 5, 1989||Eastman Christensen Company||Rotary drill bit with abrasion and erosion resistant facing|
|US4889017||Apr 29, 1988||Dec 26, 1989||Reed Tool Co., Ltd.||Rotary drill bit for use in drilling holes in subsurface earth formations|
|US4899838||Nov 29, 1988||Feb 13, 1990||Hughes Tool Company||Earth boring bit with convergent cutter bearing|
|US4919013||Sep 14, 1988||Apr 24, 1990||Eastman Christensen Company||Preformed elements for a rotary drill bit|
|US4923512||Apr 7, 1989||May 8, 1990||The Dow Chemical Company||Cobalt-bound tungsten carbide metal matrix composites and cutting tools formed therefrom|
|US4956012||Oct 3, 1988||Sep 11, 1990||Newcomer Products, Inc.||Dispersion alloyed hard metal composites|
|US4968348||Nov 28, 1989||Nov 6, 1990||Dynamet Technology, Inc.||Titanium diboride/titanium alloy metal matrix microcomposite material and process for powder metal cladding|
|US4991670||Nov 8, 1989||Feb 12, 1991||Reed Tool Company, Ltd.||Rotary drill bit for use in drilling holes in subsurface earth formations|
|US5000273||Jan 5, 1990||Mar 19, 1991||Norton Company||Low melting point copper-manganese-zinc alloy for infiltration binder in matrix body rock drill bits|
|US5030598||Jun 22, 1990||Jul 9, 1991||Gte Products Corporation||Silicon aluminum oxynitride material containing boron nitride|
|US5032352||Sep 21, 1990||Jul 16, 1991||Ceracon, Inc.||Composite body formation of consolidated powder metal part|
|US5049450||May 10, 1990||Sep 17, 1991||The Perkin-Elmer Corporation||Aluminum and boron nitride thermal spray powder|
|US5090491||Mar 4, 1991||Feb 25, 1992||Eastman Christensen Company||Earth boring drill bit with matrix displacing material|
|US5092412||Nov 29, 1990||Mar 3, 1992||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Earth boring bit with recessed roller bearing|
|US5161898||Jul 5, 1991||Nov 10, 1992||Camco International Inc.||Aluminide coated bearing elements for roller cutter drill bits|
|US5232522||Oct 17, 1991||Aug 3, 1993||The Dow Chemical Company||Rapid omnidirectional compaction process for producing metal nitride, carbide, or carbonitride coating on ceramic substrate|
|US5281260||Feb 28, 1992||Jan 25, 1994||Baker Hughes Incorporated||High-strength tungsten carbide material for use in earth-boring bits|
|US5286685||Dec 7, 1992||Feb 15, 1994||Savoie Refractaires||Refractory materials consisting of grains bonded by a binding phase based on aluminum nitride containing boron nitride and/or graphite particles and process for their production|
|US5311958||Sep 23, 1992||May 17, 1994||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Earth-boring bit with an advantageous cutting structure|
|US5348806||Sep 18, 1992||Sep 20, 1994||Hitachi Metals, Ltd.||Cermet alloy and process for its production|
|US5373907||Jan 26, 1993||Dec 20, 1994||Dresser Industries, Inc.||Method and apparatus for manufacturing and inspecting the quality of a matrix body drill bit|
|US5433280||Mar 16, 1994||Jul 18, 1995||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Fabrication method for rotary bits and bit components and bits and components produced thereby|
|US5443337||Jul 2, 1993||Aug 22, 1995||Katayama; Ichiro||Sintered diamond drill bits and method of making|
|US5452771||Mar 31, 1994||Sep 26, 1995||Dresser Industries, Inc.||Rotary drill bit with improved cutter and seal protection|
|US5479997||Aug 19, 1994||Jan 2, 1996||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Earth-boring bit with improved cutting structure|
|US5482670||May 20, 1994||Jan 9, 1996||Hong; Joonpyo||Cemented carbide|
|US5484468||Feb 7, 1994||Jan 16, 1996||Sandvik Ab||Cemented carbide with binder phase enriched surface zone and enhanced edge toughness behavior and process for making same|
|US5506055||Jul 8, 1994||Apr 9, 1996||Sulzer Metco (Us) Inc.||Boron nitride and aluminum thermal spray powder|
|US5518077||Mar 22, 1995||May 21, 1996||Dresser Industries, Inc.||Rotary drill bit with improved cutter and seal protection|
|US5525134||Jan 12, 1995||Jun 11, 1996||Kennametal Inc.||Silicon nitride ceramic and cutting tool made thereof|
|US5543235||Apr 26, 1994||Aug 6, 1996||Sintermet||Multiple grade cemented carbide articles and a method of making the same|
|US5544550||May 9, 1995||Aug 13, 1996||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Fabrication method for rotary bits and bit components|
|US5560440||Nov 7, 1994||Oct 1, 1996||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Bit for subterranean drilling fabricated from separately-formed major components|
|US5586612||Jan 26, 1995||Dec 24, 1996||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Roller cone bit with positive and negative offset and smooth running configuration|
|US5593474||Aug 4, 1988||Jan 14, 1997||Smith International, Inc.||Composite cemented carbide|
|US5611251||May 1, 1995||Mar 18, 1997||Katayama; Ichiro||Sintered diamond drill bits and method of making|
|US5612264||Nov 13, 1995||Mar 18, 1997||The Dow Chemical Company||Methods for making WC-containing bodies|
|US5641251||Jun 6, 1995||Jun 24, 1997||Cerasiv Gmbh Innovatives Keramik-Engineering||All-ceramic drill bit|
|US5641921||Aug 22, 1995||Jun 24, 1997||Dennis Tool Company||Low temperature, low pressure, ductile, bonded cermet for enhanced abrasion and erosion performance|
|US5662183||Aug 15, 1995||Sep 2, 1997||Smith International, Inc.||High strength matrix material for PDC drag bits|
|US5666864||Mar 31, 1995||Sep 16, 1997||Tibbitts; Gordon A.||Earth boring drill bit with shell supporting an external drilling surface|
|US5677042||Jun 6, 1995||Oct 14, 1997||Kennametal Inc.||Composite cermet articles and method of making|
|US5679445||Dec 23, 1994||Oct 21, 1997||Kennametal Inc.||Composite cermet articles and method of making|
|US5697046||Jun 6, 1995||Dec 9, 1997||Kennametal Inc.||Composite cermet articles and method of making|
|US5697462||Aug 7, 1996||Dec 16, 1997||Baker Hughes Inc.||Earth-boring bit having improved cutting structure|
|US5732783||Jan 11, 1996||Mar 31, 1998||Camco Drilling Group Limited Of Hycalog||In or relating to rotary drill bits|
|US5733649||Sep 23, 1996||Mar 31, 1998||Kennametal Inc.||Matrix for a hard composite|
|US5733664||Dec 18, 1995||Mar 31, 1998||Kennametal Inc.||Matrix for a hard composite|
|US5753160||Oct 2, 1995||May 19, 1998||Ngk Insulators, Ltd.||Method for controlling firing shrinkage of ceramic green body|
|US5755298||Mar 12, 1997||May 26, 1998||Dresser Industries, Inc.||Hardfacing with coated diamond particles|
|US5765095||Aug 19, 1996||Jun 9, 1998||Smith International, Inc.||Polycrystalline diamond bit manufacturing|
|US5776593||Dec 21, 1995||Jul 7, 1998||Kennametal Inc.||Composite cermet articles and method of making|
|US5778301||Jan 8, 1996||Jul 7, 1998||Hong; Joonpyo||Cemented carbide|
|US5789686||Jun 6, 1995||Aug 4, 1998||Kennametal Inc.||Composite cermet articles and method of making|
|US5792403||Feb 2, 1996||Aug 11, 1998||Kennametal Inc.||Method of molding green bodies|
|US5806934||Dec 21, 1995||Sep 15, 1998||Kennametal Inc.||Method of using composite cermet articles|
|US5830256||May 10, 1996||Nov 3, 1998||Northrop; Ian Thomas||Cemented carbide|
|US5856626||Dec 20, 1996||Jan 5, 1999||Sandvik Ab||Cemented carbide body with increased wear resistance|
|US5865571||Jun 17, 1997||Feb 2, 1999||Norton Company||Non-metallic body cutting tools|
|US5880382||Jul 31, 1997||Mar 9, 1999||Smith International, Inc.||Double cemented carbide composites|
|US5897830||Dec 6, 1996||Apr 27, 1999||Dynamet Technology||P/M titanium composite casting|
|US5957006||Aug 2, 1996||Sep 28, 1999||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Fabrication method for rotary bits and bit components|
|US5963775||Sep 15, 1997||Oct 5, 1999||Smith International, Inc.||Pressure molded powder metal milled tooth rock bit cone|
|US6029544||Dec 3, 1996||Feb 29, 2000||Katayama; Ichiro||Sintered diamond drill bits and method of making|
|US6051171||May 18, 1998||Apr 18, 2000||Ngk Insulators, Ltd.||Method for controlling firing shrinkage of ceramic green body|
|US6063333||May 1, 1998||May 16, 2000||Penn State Research Foundation||Method and apparatus for fabrication of cobalt alloy composite inserts|
|US6068070||Sep 3, 1997||May 30, 2000||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Diamond enhanced bearing for earth-boring bit|
|US6073518||Sep 24, 1996||Jun 13, 2000||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Bit manufacturing method|
|US6086980||Dec 18, 1997||Jul 11, 2000||Sandvik Ab||Metal working drill/endmill blank and its method of manufacture|
|US6089123||Apr 16, 1998||Jul 18, 2000||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Structure for use in drilling a subterranean formation|
|US6109377||Jul 15, 1997||Aug 29, 2000||Kennametal Inc.||Rotatable cutting bit assembly with cutting inserts|
|US6109677||May 28, 1998||Aug 29, 2000||Sez North America, Inc.||Apparatus for handling and transporting plate like substrates|
|US6135218||Mar 9, 1999||Oct 24, 2000||Camco International Inc.||Fixed cutter drill bits with thin, integrally formed wear and erosion resistant surfaces|
|US6148936||Feb 4, 1999||Nov 21, 2000||Camco International (Uk) Limited||Methods of manufacturing rotary drill bits|
|US6200514||Feb 9, 1999||Mar 13, 2001||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Process of making a bit body and mold therefor|
|US6209420||Aug 17, 1998||Apr 3, 2001||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Method of manufacturing bits, bit components and other articles of manufacture|
|US6214134||Jul 24, 1995||Apr 10, 2001||The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force||Method to produce high temperature oxidation resistant metal matrix composites by fiber density grading|
|US6214287||Apr 6, 2000||Apr 10, 2001||Sandvik Ab||Method of making a submicron cemented carbide with increased toughness|
|US6220117||Aug 18, 1998||Apr 24, 2001||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Methods of high temperature infiltration of drill bits and infiltrating binder|
|US6227188||Jun 11, 1998||May 8, 2001||Norton Company||Method for improving wear resistance of abrasive tools|
|US6228139||Apr 26, 2000||May 8, 2001||Sandvik Ab||Fine-grained WC-Co cemented carbide|
|US6241036||Sep 16, 1998||Jun 5, 2001||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Reinforced abrasive-impregnated cutting elements, drill bits including same|
|US6254658||Feb 24, 1999||Jul 3, 2001||Mitsubishi Materials Corporation||Cemented carbide cutting tool|
|US6287360 *||Sep 18, 1998||Sep 11, 2001||Smith International, Inc.||High-strength matrix body|
|US6290438||Feb 19, 1999||Sep 18, 2001||August Beck Gmbh & Co.||Reaming tool and process for its production|
|US6293986||Mar 6, 1998||Sep 25, 2001||Widia Gmbh||Hard metal or cermet sintered body and method for the production thereof|
|US6302224||May 13, 1999||Oct 16, 2001||Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.||Drag-bit drilling with multi-axial tooth inserts|
|US6353771||Jul 22, 1996||Mar 5, 2002||Smith International, Inc.||Rapid manufacturing of molds for forming drill bits|
|US6372346||May 13, 1998||Apr 16, 2002||Enduraloy Corporation||Tough-coated hard powders and sintered articles thereof|
|US6375706||Jan 11, 2001||Apr 23, 2002||Smith International, Inc.||Composition for binder material particularly for drill bit bodies|
|US6453899||Nov 22, 1999||Sep 24, 2002||Ultimate Abrasive Systems, L.L.C.||Method for making a sintered article and products produced thereby|
|US6454025||Mar 3, 2000||Sep 24, 2002||Vermeer Manufacturing Company||Apparatus for directional boring under mixed conditions|
|US6454028||Jan 4, 2001||Sep 24, 2002||Camco International (U.K.) Limited||Wear resistant drill bit|
|US6454030||Jan 25, 1999||Sep 24, 2002||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Drill bits and other articles of manufacture including a layer-manufactured shell integrally secured to a cast structure and methods of fabricating same|
|US6458471||Dec 7, 2000||Oct 1, 2002||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Reinforced abrasive-impregnated cutting elements, drill bits including same and methods|
|US6474425||Jul 19, 2000||Nov 5, 2002||Smith International, Inc.||Asymmetric diamond impregnated drill bit|
|US6500226||Apr 24, 2000||Dec 31, 2002||Dennis Tool Company||Method and apparatus for fabrication of cobalt alloy composite inserts|
|US6511265||Dec 14, 1999||Jan 28, 2003||Ati Properties, Inc.||Composite rotary tool and tool fabrication method|
|US6576182||Mar 29, 1996||Jun 10, 2003||Institut Fuer Neue Materialien Gemeinnuetzige Gmbh||Process for producing shrinkage-matched ceramic composites|
|US6589640||Nov 1, 2002||Jul 8, 2003||Nigel Dennis Griffin||Polycrystalline diamond partially depleted of catalyzing material|
|US6599467||Oct 15, 1999||Jul 29, 2003||Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha||Process for forging titanium-based material, process for producing engine valve, and engine valve|
|US6607693||Jun 9, 2000||Aug 19, 2003||Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho||Titanium alloy and method for producing the same|
|US6655481||Jun 25, 2002||Dec 2, 2003||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Methods for fabricating drill bits, including assembling a bit crown and a bit body material and integrally securing the bit crown and bit body material to one another|
|US6655882||Aug 22, 2001||Dec 2, 2003||Kennametal Inc.||Twist drill having a sintered cemented carbide body, and like tools, and use thereof|
|US6685880||Nov 9, 2001||Feb 3, 2004||Sandvik Aktiebolag||Multiple grade cemented carbide inserts for metal working and method of making the same|
|US6742608||Oct 4, 2002||Jun 1, 2004||Henry W. Murdoch||Rotary mine drilling bit for making blast holes|
|US6742611||May 30, 2000||Jun 1, 2004||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Laminated and composite impregnated cutting structures for drill bits|
|US6756009||Dec 18, 2002||Jun 29, 2004||Daewoo Heavy Industries & Machinery Ltd.||Method of producing hardmetal-bonded metal component|
|US6766870||Aug 21, 2002||Jul 27, 2004||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Mechanically shaped hardfacing cutting/wear structures|
|US6849231||Sep 30, 2002||Feb 1, 2005||Kobe Steel, Ltd.||α-β type titanium alloy|
|US6918942||Jun 6, 2003||Jul 19, 2005||Toho Titanium Co., Ltd.||Process for production of titanium alloy|
|US7044243||Jan 31, 2003||May 16, 2006||Smith International, Inc.||High-strength/high-toughness alloy steel drill bit blank|
|US7048081||May 28, 2003||May 23, 2006||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Superabrasive cutting element having an asperital cutting face and drill bit so equipped|
|US7250069||Jun 18, 2003||Jul 31, 2007||Smith International, Inc.||High-strength, high-toughness matrix bit bodies|
|US7261782||Dec 5, 2001||Aug 28, 2007||Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho||Titanium alloy having high elastic deformation capacity and method for production thereof|
|US7270679||Feb 18, 2004||Sep 18, 2007||Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.||Implants based on engineered metal matrix composite materials having enhanced imaging and wear resistance|
|US7556668||Dec 4, 2002||Jul 7, 2009||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Consolidated hard materials, methods of manufacture, and applications|
|US7661491||Feb 16, 2010||Smith International, Inc.||High-strength, high-toughness matrix bit bodies|
|US7687156||Aug 18, 2005||Mar 30, 2010||Tdy Industries, Inc.||Composite cutting inserts and methods of making the same|
|US20020004105||May 16, 2001||Jan 10, 2002||Kunze Joseph M.||Laser fabrication of ceramic parts|
|US20020020564||Jun 15, 2001||Feb 21, 2002||Zhigang Fang||Composite constructions with ordered microstructure|
|US20020175006||Jun 25, 2002||Nov 28, 2002||Findley Sidney L.||Drill bits and other articles of manufacture including a layer-manufactured shell integrally secured to a cast structure and methods and molds for fabricating same|
|US20030010409||May 16, 2002||Jan 16, 2003||Triton Systems, Inc.||Laser fabrication of discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composites|
|US20030041922||Mar 28, 2002||Mar 6, 2003||Fuji Oozx Inc.||Method of strengthening Ti alloy|
|US20030219605||Jan 30, 2003||Nov 27, 2003||Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc.||Novel friction and wear-resistant coatings for tools, dies and microelectromechanical systems|
|US20040013558||Jul 10, 2003||Jan 22, 2004||Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho||Green compact and process for compacting the same, metallic sintered body and process for producing the same, worked component part and method of working|
|US20040060742||Jun 18, 2003||Apr 1, 2004||Kembaiyan Kumar T.||High-strength, high-toughness matrix bit bodies|
|US20040149494||Jan 31, 2003||Aug 5, 2004||Smith International, Inc.||High-strength/high-toughness alloy steel drill bit blank|
|US20040196638||Apr 21, 2004||Oct 7, 2004||Yageo Corporation||Method for reducing shrinkage during sintering low-temperature confired ceramics|
|US20040243241||Feb 18, 2004||Dec 2, 2004||Naim Istephanous||Implants based on engineered metal matrix composite materials having enhanced imaging and wear resistance|
|US20040244540||Jun 5, 2003||Dec 9, 2004||Oldham Thomas W.||Drill bit body with multiple binders|
|US20040245022||Jun 5, 2003||Dec 9, 2004||Izaguirre Saul N.||Bonding of cutters in diamond drill bits|
|US20040245024||Jun 5, 2003||Dec 9, 2004||Kembaiyan Kumar T.||Bit body formed of multiple matrix materials and method for making the same|
|US20050008524||Jun 3, 2002||Jan 13, 2005||Claudio Testani||Process for the production of a titanium alloy based composite material reinforced with titanium carbide, and reinforced composite material obtained thereby|
|US20050072496||Dec 5, 2001||Apr 7, 2005||Junghwan Hwang||Titanium alloy having high elastic deformation capability and process for producing the same|
|US20050084407||Jul 30, 2004||Apr 21, 2005||Myrick James J.||Titanium group powder metallurgy|
|US20050117984||Dec 4, 2002||Jun 2, 2005||Eason Jimmy W.||Consolidated hard materials, methods of manufacture and applications|
|US20050126334||Dec 12, 2003||Jun 16, 2005||Mirchandani Prakash K.||Hybrid cemented carbide composites|
|US20050211475||May 18, 2004||Sep 29, 2005||Mirchandani Prakash K||Earth-boring bits|
|US20050247491||Apr 28, 2005||Nov 10, 2005||Mirchandani Prakash K||Earth-boring bits|
|US20050268746||Apr 19, 2005||Dec 8, 2005||Stanley Abkowitz||Titanium tungsten alloys produced by additions of tungsten nanopowder|
|US20060016521||Jul 22, 2004||Jan 26, 2006||Hanusiak William M||Method for manufacturing titanium alloy wire with enhanced properties|
|US20060032335||Oct 12, 2005||Feb 16, 2006||Kembaiyan Kumar T||Bit body formed of multiple matrix materials and method for making the same|
|US20060032677||Aug 30, 2005||Feb 16, 2006||Smith International, Inc.||Novel bits and cutting structures|
|US20060043648||Jul 15, 2005||Mar 2, 2006||Ngk Insulators, Ltd.||Method for controlling shrinkage of formed ceramic body|
|US20060057017||Nov 12, 2004||Mar 16, 2006||General Electric Company||Method for producing a titanium metallic composition having titanium boride particles dispersed therein|
|US20060131081||Dec 16, 2004||Jun 22, 2006||Tdy Industries, Inc.||Cemented carbide inserts for earth-boring bits|
|US20070042217||Aug 18, 2005||Feb 22, 2007||Fang X D||Composite cutting inserts and methods of making the same|
|US20070102198||Nov 10, 2005||May 10, 2007||Oxford James A||Earth-boring rotary drill bits and methods of forming earth-boring rotary drill bits|
|US20070102199||Nov 10, 2005||May 10, 2007||Smith Redd H||Earth-boring rotary drill bits and methods of manufacturing earth-boring rotary drill bits having particle-matrix composite bit bodies|
|US20070102200||Sep 29, 2006||May 10, 2007||Heeman Choe||Earth-boring rotary drill bits including bit bodies having boron carbide particles in aluminum or aluminum-based alloy matrix materials, and methods for forming such bits|
|US20070102202||Nov 6, 2006||May 10, 2007||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Earth-boring rotary drill bits including bit bodies comprising reinforced titanium or titanium-based alloy matrix materials, and methods for forming such bits|
|US20070193782||May 1, 2007||Aug 23, 2007||Smith International, Inc.||Polycrystalline diamond carbide composites|
|US20080011519||Jul 17, 2006||Jan 17, 2008||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Cemented tungsten carbide rock bit cone|
|US20080101977||Oct 31, 2007||May 1, 2008||Eason Jimmy W||Sintered bodies for earth-boring rotary drill bits and methods of forming the same|
|US20080163723||Feb 20, 2008||Jul 10, 2008||Tdy Industries Inc.||Earth-boring bits|
|US20080302576 *||Aug 15, 2008||Dec 11, 2008||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Earth-boring bits|
|US20100193252||Apr 20, 2010||Aug 5, 2010||Tdy Industries, Inc.||Cast cones and other components for earth-boring tools and related methods|
|AU695583B2||Title not available|
|CA2212197C||Aug 1, 1997||Oct 17, 2000||Smith International, Inc.||Double cemented carbide inserts|
|EP0264674A2||Sep 30, 1987||Apr 27, 1988||Baker-Hughes Incorporated||Low pressure bonding of PCD bodies and method|
|EP0453428A1||Apr 18, 1991||Oct 23, 1991||Sandvik Aktiebolag||Method of making cemented carbide body for tools and wear parts|
|EP0995876A2||Oct 13, 1999||Apr 26, 2000||Camco International (UK) Limited||Methods of manufacturing rotary drill bits|
|EP1244531B1||Dec 11, 2000||Oct 6, 2004||TDY Industries, Inc.||Composite rotary tool and tool fabrication method|
|GB945227A||Title not available|
|GB2385350B||Title not available|
|GB2393449B||Title not available|
|JP10219385A||Title not available|
|UA6742U||Title not available|
|UA23749U||Title not available|
|UA63469A||Title not available|
|WO2003049889A2||Dec 4, 2002||Jun 19, 2003||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Consolidated hard materials, methods of manufacture, and applications|
|WO2004053197A2||Dec 5, 2003||Jun 24, 2004||Ikonics Corporation||Metal engraving method, article, and apparatus|
|1||International Preliminary Report on Patentability for PCT/US2005/014742,dated Nov. 1, 2006.|
|2||International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2005/014742, completed Jul. 25, 2005.|
|3||Pyrotek, ZYP ZIRCWASH, www.pyrotek.info, no date, 1 page.|
|4||Sikkenga, Cobalt and Cobalt Alloy Castings, Casting, vol. 15, ASM Handbook, ASM International, 2008, pp. 1114-1118.|
|5||Sims et al., Superalloys II, Casting Engineering, Aug. 1987, pp. 420-426.|
|6||Stevens et al., U.S. Appl. No. 13/111,666 entitled, Methods of Forming at Least a Portion of Earth-Boring Tools filed May 19, 2011.|
|7||Stevens et al., U.S. Appl. No. 13/111,783 entitled, Methods of Forming at Least a Portion of Earth-Boring Tools, and Articles Formed by Such Methods, filed May 19, 2011.|
|8||Stevens, John H., U.S. Appl No. 13/111,739 entitled, Methods of Forming at Least a Portion of Earth Boring-Tools, and Articles Formed by Such Methods filed May 19, 2011.|
|9||US 4,966,627, 10/1990, Keshavan et al. (withdrawn)|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US8272816||May 12, 2009||Sep 25, 2012||TDY Industries, LLC||Composite cemented carbide rotary cutting tools and rotary cutting tool blanks|
|US8318063||Nov 27, 2012||TDY Industries, LLC||Injection molding fabrication method|
|US8459380||Jun 11, 2013||TDY Industries, LLC||Earth-boring bits and other parts including cemented carbide|
|US8637127||Jun 27, 2005||Jan 28, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Composite article with coolant channels and tool fabrication method|
|US8647561||Jul 25, 2008||Feb 11, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Composite cutting inserts and methods of making the same|
|US8697258||Jul 14, 2011||Apr 15, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Articles having improved resistance to thermal cracking|
|US8789625||Oct 16, 2012||Jul 29, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Modular fixed cutter earth-boring bits, modular fixed cutter earth-boring bit bodies, and related methods|
|US8790439||Jul 26, 2012||Jul 29, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Composite sintered powder metal articles|
|US8800848||Aug 31, 2011||Aug 12, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Methods of forming wear resistant layers on metallic surfaces|
|US8808591||Oct 1, 2012||Aug 19, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Coextrusion fabrication method|
|US8841005||Oct 1, 2012||Sep 23, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Articles having improved resistance to thermal cracking|
|US8858870||Jun 8, 2012||Oct 14, 2014||Kennametal Inc.||Earth-boring bits and other parts including cemented carbide|
|US8991471 *||Dec 8, 2011||Mar 31, 2015||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Methods of forming earth-boring tools|
|US9016406||Aug 30, 2012||Apr 28, 2015||Kennametal Inc.||Cutting inserts for earth-boring bits|
|US9266171||Oct 8, 2012||Feb 23, 2016||Kennametal Inc.||Grinding roll including wear resistant working surface|
|US20060024140 *||Jul 30, 2004||Feb 2, 2006||Wolff Edward C||Removable tap chasers and tap systems including the same|
|US20060288820 *||Jun 27, 2005||Dec 28, 2006||Mirchandani Prakash K||Composite article with coolant channels and tool fabrication method|
|US20070108650 *||Oct 24, 2006||May 17, 2007||Mirchandani Prakash K||Injection molding fabrication method|
|US20090041612 *||Jul 25, 2008||Feb 12, 2009||Tdy Industries, Inc.||Composite cutting inserts and methods of making the same|
|US20100290849 *||May 12, 2009||Nov 18, 2010||Tdy Industries, Inc.||Composite cemented carbide rotary cutting tools and rotary cutting tool blanks|
|US20110107811 *||May 12, 2011||Tdy Industries, Inc.||Thread Rolling Die and Method of Making Same|
|US20130146366 *||Jun 13, 2013||Baker Hughes Incorporated||Earth-boring tools, methods of forming earth-boring tools, and methods of repairing earth-boring tools|
|U.S. Classification||76/108.2, 175/374, 419/15|
|International Classification||E21B10/46, B21K5/04, C22C1/10, C22C29/06, C22C29/00, E21B10/00|
|Cooperative Classification||E21B10/46, C22C1/1068, C22C29/005, C22C29/067, C22C29/00, B22F2998/00, B22F2005/001|
|European Classification||E21B10/46, C22C29/06M, C22C29/00|